Chasing Shadows
by Blue Quartz
Summary: {Takes place five years after Chobits} How far will technology reach? Who is really the master, the creator or the creation? And why do we construct gods to walk among man?
1. Ivory Roses

Chasing Shadows Declaimer: I do not own Chobits is thoughts/ narration  
  
Prologue: Ivory Roses  
  
It seemed not too long ago  
  
In the dead of night a lone figure stands within the inner sanctum of a graveyard, tombstones stacked almost on top of one another; some large, some small, some with long sonnets singing the praises of the saints, or those who at least had the appearances of a saint, engraved in the stones. The marker the enigma stood in front of was quite plain compared to many of the others just a very simple rose pattern the only inscription was the name, birth and death date, nothing adorned the face of the dull stone as of yet. I was "happy". In a sense I think we both were happy. But not for the same reasons, I was happy to be near her, while she was content living her life oblivious to me. I had become the adoring shadow never leaving her side even unto death. I wait here. for what I don't know yet, so still I wait. A light autumn wind picks up blowing dried leaves across the pavement rustling the figure's white hair revealing two slightly odd pointed ears before settling back to cover them up again.  
  
Slowly the figure moves to brush the top of the tombstone with long delicate fingers, gently tracing the name Kari Soya but the soft hand transformed into a fist pounded against the unyielding stone.  
  
If only she could have seen, if I could have shown her better at how much I loved her. But maybe theses ifs are futile arguments since no one, not even our "creators" believe that "we" can feel emotion let alone feel emotions so strongly. I love my mistress, no more than love, it is divine madness! And now she's.gone. Many say she had lived a ripe old age, but what do they know! They are not "immortal" for as long as there is a world, electricity, and programming I shall live forever, so what do humans know of "age" of "time".   
  
I have to admit though; they do know one thing, they know about the one concept that I have yet to grasp, death. They don't understand it even though there are many that claim to, but they know it is their fate, some accept the inevitable with grace and dignity like my mistress did. I don't understand though, why would she want to leave me? Even if she never loved me as deeply as I did for her, didn't she at the very least care enough about me to want to stay with me?   
  
The figure slowly kneels down to the ground eyes of ice blue staring at the grave stone before closing, Oh ye fickle and foolish man, have you yet to see the God that you have created to walk among men? As the figure turns to leave a dozen white roses are scattered over the grave with an added inscription, "Beloved"  
  
Notes: So what do you think? Whither you like it or hate it please send me input and tell me if you want me to continue this as a chaptered fic or not. So until next time see ya. 


	2. To Build

Chasing Shadows  
  
HI! I am so very grateful to those of you whom have reviewed, you have no idea how much joy it brings me! I promise to keep my author notes short so I will close with that I don't own Chobits, I only own a copy of volumes one and two and of course this fic.  
  
Narration/ thoughts "" of course means talking.  
  
Chapter One  
  
To Build  
  
Every story, no matter if it is good, mediocre, or terrible all share a common bond. Every tale be it romantic, horrific, mysterious or adventure filled have at least one thing in common. The plots, the characters, the twists, and even climaxes are varied; but throughout time every story has one, actually two things that are the same, they all "begin" and not a one ever truly "ends."   
  
  
  
Soft footsteps echo off the barren white walls as several men and women dressed in lab coats that were even paler than the walls that surrounded them as the group passed through the halls. The pathway was dark and silent, the only noise penetrating the almost stifling atmosphere were of course the footsteps and the slight creaking of a door that was opened unto a laboratory. Inside, even more people dressed in lab coats worked like a busy colony of ants scurrying to and fro trying to accomplish dozens of tasks. The group of intruding scientists brushed past the "worker ants"; paying them no mind, for the object of their desire rested deeper in the heart of the lab. The expedition paused at a locked door as the head of the team punched in a series of numbers and letters codes into the security pad for a moment the door remained unmoved but then within a blink of an eye the metallic barrier swung back allowing the lab team entrance then slamming shut behind them as the last member ducked inside.  
  
If possible the room had even less illumination than both the hall and the other lab combined; the pitch darkness itself seemed to be alive with false pretenses and anxious tension all the members of the team waiting with baited breath as the head of the experiment team slowly moved to turn on the lights. Suddenly the shadows made a hasty retreat; as the bright florescent light came charging in on pale horses. A collective gasp was heard from a couple of the team as the project they had worked on for so long was revealed in its entirety. A round of congratulations to the head of the team was given then overwhelming curiosity at the tiny object humanlike object resting on the countertop.  
  
It was small, much tinier than a human child; almost like a doll, but it was smaller barely big enough to take up half a grown man's palm. It looked so lifelike and human with its soft milky pale skin, delicate facial features of a young woman, even the golden blond hair felt real! One of the female members of the team carefully picked the object up before looking back at the head, "This is wonder, no amzai.words fail me! How did you complete it in such a short time Soya- san?!" The elder man smiled, "Well if I told you Karamu then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?"  
  
One of the younger male scietenists took the "doll" from Karamu's palms, "So now that we have accomplished the "experiment", what should we call it?" he inquired. "Well it looks like a human.a real person almost," one said. "And it is designed to be a personal computer," Soya raised his hands, "I am way ahead of you." He slowly backed away to stand beside a tarp and with a dramatic tug unveiled a whole case full of the tiny "doll". A bright blue sign hung above the casing giving the objects their name. Soya smirked as he stood in front of the flabbergasted audience, "Ladies and gentlemen may I present to you the worlds first line of "Personcoms!"  
  
That day went down into the history books of technology. The moment the "Personcom" concept was revealed to the public every electronic company pounced on the idea. Soya was offered billions upon millions of dollars to sell the rights to this slice of genius, but he turned all offers down, and as if to spite the corporations; he opened up his own business, which sold his brainchild, or children I should say, to those who could afford such expensive novelties. As with any new electronic doodad Personcoms sold like.what it that expression? Yes they sold like hotcakes and it wasn't long until Soya was very, very rich man.   
  
A festive yet frivolous Christmas party was held at Soya Cooperation building two years after the Personcom line was originally launched. As his employees are enjoying themselves Soya is inside his office working on a new project.  
  
The palm held computers were indeed a success, but being a greedy, grasping, power and money hunger being; also known as a cooperate executive, Soya wasn't satisfied with just being rich, with having world wide fame, or a promising career, he wanted more. Sure the laptops were cute, well-designed not to mention the fastest and most efficient electronic device known to man other companies were now becoming compotision now that they too had figured out how to construct their own Personcoms. So the man, half scientist, half bussniess man strived to outwit his competitors once again went back to the lab,   
  
Camera lights shone as brightly as the sun, murmurs of thousands of people rose and fall like the roars of animals patiently waiting for a juicy morsel of gossip or truth; which ever was more readily available, to devour and then present to the world knowledge. As soon as Soya steps on stage the crowd erupts into applauses; Soya smiles warmly as he steps up to the podium. Soon he had launched into a long-winded speech that no one really paid any attention to all instead stared ravenously at the large covered box behind him. Noticing that not a soul was listening Soya sighed and unveiled his latest line of Personcom; this one was of course a female figure with humanlike features skin, face and hair only this one was life- sized! The reporters went nuts, camera bulbs flashed, microphones were a buzz with shouts, cheers, and more applause.  
  
Sure, no big deal right? Totally innocent, there is nothing wrong with a little change correct? Wrong, oh so wrong. Some would call it genius, other progress but I see it as the beginning to the madness.   
  
Across town another corporate executive watching disdainfully at the large plasma screen of the TV in the boardroom, which was of course focused on the new announcement of Soya Inc. Turning his back to the board, hands clashed behind his back the president stared at the opposing wall as if it had answers written on it. The tension was so thick that you could choke on it, no one dared to move a muscle or even breath loudly everything still and silent, their small world grinding to a complete halt. Then in a flurry of motion the president turned around slamming his clutched fits on the polished table a dark smirk on his face saying in a low and dangerous tone, "So gentlemen, tell me what are we going to do to beat that?"  
  
Welcome to the beginning of the end. 


	3. Bitterness

Chasing Shadows  
Notes: I don not own Chobits and you know the drill by now.  
Chapter Two Bitterness  
  
It wasn't long before Japan and the rest of the world was overrun with Personcoms both the small childlike lap and palm tops and now the very realistic life-size models.   
  
Pedestrians trample across Tokyo sidewalk on, men and women dressed in bussniess suits talking or yelling into cell phones, children dressed in school uniforms walk through the sea of adults giggling and chattering with their friends and classmates, mothers wheeling baby strollers maneuver through the street only to pause briefly to glance at storefronts. Among this hodgepodge of people it is hard to tell where one person begins and one end because of the extremely close proximity; everyone seems to be coming and going at a rapid pace, always running late for something.  
  
And before anyone knew it, the Personcoms had become a "need" in our society. "They" were no longer a status symbol among the rich and posh, for now even the average Joe owned at least one Personcom.   
  
Standing in the middle of this hasty mass of population stands a young girl with short brown hair that curls around her oddly pointed ears and deep chocolate eyes that stare at the world around her as if she is seeing it for the first time in her life. Her skin is surreally smooth and pale, her face belonged in movies, her body clothed in a bright yellow sundress was meant to be own. She looked so real so perfect, but her eyes simply stared out into space, no emotion or depth beyond the pretty face. "Kira- chan," a male voice called from the entrance of a small street corner restaurant.  
  
"Hm? Yes Mr. Hawk?" "Come back inside and clean off some of these tables." "Yes sir." "Kira-chan" replied as she obediently ducked back inside the building leaving the hectic world of glass and concrete.  
  
Now don't get me wrong, progress is a good thing but when you can barely tell the difference between machine and man, computer and person, creation and creator; then the world begins to become a slightly smaller and scarier place. But ladies and gentlemen please keep this in mind; this is just the beginning.   
  
Inside a laboratory men and women were working around the clock on a project that would send Soya Inc. to its' knees. It was a Personcom but of a different breed, it could do any and everything a computer could do, it was life-sized like the newest models but this one would be set apart from the rest, it would be in a class all of own. It would have emotions, equipped with a state of the art self-teaching program and the memory capabilities would be off the charts. It was perfection, it was a god; this was the Chobit project. The smartest, sleekest, most realistic looking, and of course the most efficient piece of technology that would ever be placed on the market.  
  
Now if only they could get "it" to work.  
  
Many attempts and experiments were made, the most recognizable one was of course Chi, the female counterpart that "disappeared" half a decade ago, but there were others, many others in fact; somewhere successful others were trashed. So it as this point in time where "I" come in.  
  
Small teams of scientists are placing the finish touches on a male looking Personcom. As with the female counterparts "his" skin is a very beautiful milky pale, sharp almost geometric features slightly disguises "him" from the females. Soft white hair tinted with mint blue streaks brush against "his" bare shoulders. Sculpted chest and torso and legs of a track star, wide-open eyes of ice blue that occasional followed the movement of the "creators" while at another counter another model is being worked on, only this one was a female model. Long white hair and amber eyes stared out following the people move about as well.  
  
"We" were given the name Chobits. Designed to be the most realistic and advanced Personcom that would ever grace the market. We were equipped with a learning program, the most memory storage that could be created, realistic skin, hair, and eyes. Created to think outside our programs, to be able to explore our world like curious human children then learn lessons from our experiences be they good or bad. So much had to be learned before we were declared passable. We were the "sharpest tools in the shed" walk and talk like humans and could easily pass for humans too if it wasn't for our ridiculous large and pointed ears.   
  
We were perfection, a god and goddess created by man for man, servants unto the masters that made us omnipotent for one of the first thinks we learned was devotion.   
  
Other emotions we "learned" almost automatically after that, we learned to have a fear/respect for our creators for if we didn't obey their orders we were promised pain, we learned joy when we were rewarded for when we did good, shame and guilt when we did something wrong. But out of all these emotions.love was our chosen poison. I learned very early not to "love' but poor "Chi", as she was later called, was. not foolish; but certainly more childlike and innocent than yours truly so she saw nothing wrong with feeling, with loving but in the end it lead to her discharge from the project.   
  
The leader of the project gently strokes the female's face as she leans into the touch. A soft female voice speaks, "Your so beautiful little one, did you know that?" The Chobit shakes her head and a smirk is heard rather than seen on the speaker's face as soft lips descend on the top of a milky pale brow. Meanwhile in the shadows the male counterpart watches, ice blue eyes pretending not to notice or care about the very tender and familiar scene unfolding before him; but underneath their cold exterior there is a secret longing.  
  
Sometimes I wonder if maybe "Chi" was the smarter one, the luckiest one. Many adored her, and I could see why; she was beautiful, soft-spoken, intelligent, sweet, and most of all unconditionally loving. And for those reasons I envied, despised and loved her all at once. It is kind of funny yet sad too that my fist "love" was considered my sister project, but in all honesty she was my first love. She was so close, yet so unattainable at the same time for she fell hard for humans. At first I couldn't see why, they were clumsy, insignificant creatures, capable of many cruelties to us and of many crimes even against their own kind. And when they took my "beloved" away I hated humans all the more.   
  
A loud growl, almost like a roar echoes through the white lab halls as the "beast", also known as Rue-sama, is all but dragged him into a programming room by a large team of men. Bright blue eyes hardened from years of punishment and quelled rebellions. Rue-sama restlessly struggles against his bonds, sending various lab equipment and a few humans crashing to the floor. Rue stared at the locked doorway and even with several humans trying to restrain him he races toward the door only to meet up with an electrical shock as the shield is activated. Backing away Rue easily shakes off the humans and begins to franticly search for the hidden switch. Finding it underneath a floor title Rue punches his fist inside the cerulean marble pulling out live wires releasing and deactivating them.  
  
The electrical shields fall and the door is swung open, not missing a beat, Rue-sama reaches the door then turns to key in the locking passwords locking his would be masters inside the programming lab; causally walking away as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened. By the time he reached the fifth corridor the alarms sounded shrilly announcing his escape, Rue- sama smirked; knowing that this time he wouldn't get caught. It was so easy to find all the right circuits and wires to disconnect to deactivate cameras and motion sensors, these handicaps would give him at least a twenty minute head start which wouldn't be needed since he could see the front doorway only ten feet away. He almost chuckled, this was too easy, and fate being the humorous being she is agreed with him and deiced to make it a bit more challenging. Out of the shadows came Personcoms of all shapes and sizes but they all shared one thing in common, they were all females.  
  
Rue-sama sneered, foolish creatures, blindly following orders and programming; if he wasn't so degusted he would have pitied them but escape was more important than sympathy. They blocked his way to the door, cutting off his chance at freedom but this shield of microchips and wires were nothing against seer cunning and an independent mind. Rue-sama raced right into the center of the blockade, ripping, clawing, and dismantling any and everything that got in his way and in a matter of minutes the floor was littered with Personcom parts and the path to the front door was free and cleared. Rue-sama walked across the piles of computer parts calmly exiting the company that he had been created in out into the wide and open freedom of the concert jungle.  
  
Once I left the laboratory, I swore that I would never look back, that I would function without a human, without the emotions that I was blessed/cursed with from "birth". Promising myself that I would take revenge on the "masters" that had created my beloved, and myself but Fate is very fickle. My strong hatred for humans grew daily to the point that I began to think that this hatred for my "creators" and "masters" was all that I had to live for; but one day came when I found something different, something living and more tangible to exist for. I found this "new lease on life" in the most unlikely place, the bright and forgiving light in a child's eyes. 


	4. Perceptive

Chasing Shadows  
  
Notes: Hehe, sorry about not updating in so long but I got distracted with different fics I was working on; but now that I am out of school for summer I can write as much as I want to, or should I say as much as I NEED to write. You know that I don't own Chobits, I am just borrowing the plotlines and maybe some of the characters in the later chapters, but I don't own them. Well until the end of the chapter goodbye and enjoy muchly!  
  
Chapter Three  
Perceptive  
  
'For days I wandered without even taking notice of where I was going. Not that there was much to take notice of since all I could see for miles around, ahead, and behind me were worthless humans. Their stupid blank faces walked by me as if I meant noting to them. A machine. That is how they saw me, just a dumb synthetic machine, which could not function without their guidance. And in my foolishness of my "youth" I believed myself to be higher than humans, not the inferior as I was in their eyes and not an equal as "she" saw me as. Who is this she you ask? A child, a woman, a mother, a monster, she was a mystery that I could solve yet didn't not understand. And it was on one prophetic rainy evening that I met her at, of all things, a playground for children.'  
  
The rain fell like driving needles piercing flesh and cloth, only able to be deflected by an unfurled umbrella. But Rue-sama trotted across the waterlogged streets without such luxurious protection. He had passed by towering skyscrapers that seemed to tickle the sky with the tipped spires; not even glancing at the schools, shopping malls, or even the enormous apartment complexes. In short he didn't care where he was walking so long as it removed him as far from humanity as one could achieve, but having not such luck for they were everywhere. He didn't have to even turn his head to find a human for one always seemed to be shoving passed him or was ignorantly walking by his side until they reached their destination.  
  
But that night he did find one place that was free of human vermin. An abandoned park, long left to rot, for who in this day in age had time to come outside and play in the sunshine or share a romantic stroll in the rain; with technology advancing at a rapid pace and indoor entertainment taking place of such frolics. Upon seeing the silent and deserted world Rue gave a sigh of relief. The old nearly rotted wooden boards of the gazebo creaked underneath his heavy footsteps. A few raindrops escaped through the holes in the roof but otherwise it was the perfect place to rest until dawn.  
  
Now being a "machine" Rue-sama didn't need to sleep but he did "sleep" merely one of the many habits that he had picked up from his education at the LAB. Even though the park seemed to be abandoned, Rue still couldn't help but feel that he wasn't as alone as he would have hoped, so he tried to survey from the relatively safe and dry pavilion. At first he couldn't see anything but a rusted slide, two broken titer-totters, a mangled jungle gym and a dilapidated swing set. Wait a minute.he glanced back at the swing set to see a shadow seated on one of the swings, gently pushing back and froth but never lifting less than an inch off the ground. A deep scowl settled on the "machine's" face, "Great just when I thought that I was free of humans. Some idiot decides to come outside to play in the rain." He started to step out of the gazebo until he came to a revelation.  
  
"Hold on, if it's just a little kid that's out there than maybe I can scare them off." Almost instantly the frown was converted into a wicked smirk as he finished demounting the short flight of stairs. He didn't even blink when he felt the first raindrop reacquaint itself with his skin, he was set on a mission and that was to eradicate a certain brat from HIS park. He tuned southeast so that he could sneak up on the child and hopefully scare him or her so silly that they would think twice before even passing by his park. As he neared the swing set he noticed that the "brat" was a young girl, dressed a jade green skirt that reached the knees of the legs that rocked herself and the swing back and froth.  
  
Her shirt was the same color as the skirt but it had three broad white stripes on the sleeves and the base of the shirt and a bow tie of forest green tied at the collar of her shirt. Her dirty blonde hair was thoroughly drenched and clinging to her face; shielding her eyes and face from the rain. Cautiously Rue snuck up behind the girl as she gave a strong push forward with her feet, and then swung back into Rue. But being made out of metal Rue didn't fall or even take a step backward, instead he grasped the chains of the swing and jerked them so hard that the girl had no choice but to turn her head to see him.  
  
A small gasp was heard, but not from the girl. "Chi?" Rue thought. For staring at him face-to-face was a human female child, but she looked just like Chi. Everything from her dark amber eyes, her tiny nose, her deep dark lashes, to her delicate cheery lips was identical to Chi with the exception of her dirty blonde locks, for Chi had long white hair, but even the length of her hair was the same as his "sister". "Chi?" Rue asked again only this time it was out loud.  
  
The girl gave him a bemused expression before answering softly, "I am sorry sir, but my name isn't Chi." She arose from her swing to face him better. "Are you looking for someone sir?" "No." Rue whispered as he backed away from this girl whom was only a third of his own height and probably a fifth of his own weight. / AN: Well he is made of metal/ "Do you need help finding someone? Because I can help you if you need me too." the girl asked kindly. But Rue keep backing away, frightened by this human girl whom looked almost identical to Chi.  
  
"Get.get away from me!" Rue yelled as found himself backed against the brick wall that outlined the park boundaries. "What in the seven hells is gong on?! Why does this stupid human look like Chi?" Suddenly the girl leaned against one of the steel supporting poles of the swing set. Beads of sweat forming on her forehead, the world spinning before her eyes, her amber eyes gazing at him with a glazed expression. Then she slumped over in a dead faint, for a moment Rue started at the young girl, completely bewildered and at a loss for what to do. 'What do you think stupid?! Get out of here! If some human finds you around her they will think that you did something to her and its' back to the LAB for you.'  
  
Rue started to turn away, only to pause, his eyes falling on the unconscious girl. She looked so fragile and helpless as the rain pounded on her face and the white sand around her, "Like Chi when we were first brought to training." He bent down allowing his right hand to stroke a few stray strands of damp hair away from her face, and then caress her cheek. Suddenly he withdrew his hand as if the girl had bitten him, "What in the world am I doing? She's a human. Once she wakes up." Before he even finished that thought Rue gently picked the girl up in his arms, dusting the sand off her face and clothes before taking her to the gazebo.  
  
Less than an hour later the girl slowly opened her eyes with a moan. The first thing she saw was a wooden roof above her head and she could still hear the pitter-patter of the rain. Then she turned her head to see Rue sitting across from her on one of the small benches inside the gazebo; he stared back at her with frigid blue eyes, but not with distain or hatred as with most humans but with concern and wonderment.  
  
"What are you?" he asked.  
  
The girl sat up before answering him, "I am Kari Soya."  
  
A low growl came from the "computer", "I didn't ask you name! I asked what are you?"  
  
"A person." Kari said simply.  
  
"Ah a human. That's what I thought." Rue said.  
  
Kari gave him a very puzzled look, tilting her head to the side, a very Chi like response.  
  
"I am afraid that I don't understand. I only told you that I am a person, yet you call me human."  
  
"Because you are!" Rue said.  
  
"One can not be a "person" unless they are human." Rue said as he turned his gaze to the side watching the raindrops falling. He hardly even noticed when Kari arose and crossed over to his bench until she spoke.  
  
"Who says?"  
  
Rue turned his head to face her, "Who says what?"  
  
A small smile curved on the girl's face, "Who says that you have to be human to be a person."  
  
"I.uh.I don't know, no one I guess. But it is true, you can't be somebody unless you are a human." Rue replied stubbornly.  
  
Kari bent over so that she was eye to eye with Rue; her amber, almost golden eyes captured his full attention almost immediately. Carefully she lifted her hand, pushing back his white hair to reveal pointed ears. Gently she brushed her fingers against it, "So if you are not a person than what are you?"  
  
"I am a machine." Rue said simply, still mesmerized by the child.  
  
"What am I?" Kari asked as she slowly withdrew her hand from his ear to rest on the side of his face.  
  
"A.human?" Rue said this time questioning his own logic.  
  
Another smile appeared on her lips only instead of sweet it was indulgent and almost motherly, "I am just that, I, Kari Soya. Just like Rue-sama is just Rue-sama, not a machine, or a human, but a person." With those words she fully withdrew from Rue, her eyes holding secrets underneath their hypnotizing golden veils, her lips curled in a soft smile as she gradually turned and then walked away out into the little drizzle. Rue lifted his hand and placed it in the exact spot where her delicate hand had rested only a moment ago, her words still echoing in his mind.  
  
' A person. This girl saw me as flesh and blood, a soul bearing being. But wasn't I a machine? Only a tool to be used by man, until I could rise above them; didn't I have to prove that I wasn't something like a toaster or a TV? Or was I already something more? Was I still less?  
  
Needless to say I was confused by some human, person.a little girl! But even through my clouded thoughts I knew that this child was on to something. Maybe she held the key, the key to my existence, the answers that I wanted to know but was never taught. So without warning I bolted from my shelter to find her, to ask, to beg, to be taught more. I wanted to know more of what she had to say. But once I exited the park I found her gone. Less than a second after she parted from my side she was gone, vanished into thin air so to speak.  
  
Maybe, maybe she was just a dream. I thought. Just a dream, a fruitless hope that I didn't have to fight and search for my place in a world run by mortals and machines. What made it worse was that now I knew that I was neither the creator nor his creation. I was I; I was Rue, a person. Or so I have been told.'  
  
Notes: Sorry for making it so short but I felt that this was a nice place to stop. Thanks for reading and until next time, Peace ^_- 


	5. Acceptance

Chasing Shadows  
  
Notes: A bunch of thanks goes out to all of ya'll who reviewed, me loves ya so much! Me no own Chobits so no suing!  
  
Chapter Five  
  
Acceptance  
  
' From that moment that the strange yet profound girl had left my grasp, my "life" had a new meaning. I had a small thread of hope grasped in my fingers. Small, delicate, and almost nonexistent but it was hope and it was there; those two simple facts that made all of the difference in the world. In a moment of sanity I had forgotten my hatred towards humans, for I found a human a little girl that saw me as something more than a machine. But then the madness would come back to haunt me as I would lose the memory of her gentle hands touch and anglieic voice speaking in riddles that I wanted to solve. With a brief blink of my eyes I would recall all of the pain and mental anguish that I suffered in my years at the LAB, I would remember the honey coated words that eventual returned to pierce my flesh. I would know that for all of her beautiful words of vague promise that she was human; that she was flesh, blood, heart, soul and mortal bound whereas I was not.'  
  
' I would tell myself that I was crazy for ever believing her, stupid for buying into her lies. I can't achieve equality; I cannot have my right to live unless I fight for it. Then I would close my eyes and see her childishly precocious face, I would know that she hides secrets from me, wonderful secrets that I want to know. I wanted her to show me and teach me of the world outside my shell. I wanted to find her so that I could surrender myself for her to mold me into her obedient student, her teacher, her master, and her servant. So I waited inside the enclosed and abandoned Eden that time and humanity had long forgotten. '  
  
' I waited for her return because something told me that it was not her whom had intruded on that rainy day but yours truly. I waited for days, weeks, and then months, but she never came, yet I still waited. Stupidity at it's finest if I do say so myself, for I was waiting for someone that I wasn't even sure existed, she seemed too surreal to be real, she had delve far too deep with her words for a child so young, a human child none the less. My thread of hope was unraveling and I had given up on ever seeing her again. Then she came. But one visit was never enough; I always needed more. She had me addicted to her, her face, her eyes, her voice; even her promises that I knew were empty. Still I wanted her to stay with me no matter what so I begged for her to return at the end of each day. And time after time she came back'  
  
"Rue-san, come on Rue I know you're awake. You can't pretend to be asleep forever." Kari said, her tone full of restrained laughter. A smirk crossed Rue's lips as he made a show of "waking up". First yawning loudly, stretching his limbs, grumbling and cursing under his breath as he sat up from the bench, finally opening his eyes to fall on the young girl sitting beside him. "What do you want now?" Rue growled, pretending to be annoyed by her visit even though they both knew that he was very pleased to see her again so soon. Kari reached out, winding her right arm against his, "Come let's walk around the park today."  
  
Grudgingly Rue arose from the bench, allowing himself to be dragged along by the slip of a girl. She giggled at his weak protest; knowing that he would follow her to the ends of the earth if she deemed it necessary. Nevertheless for one so young she held a great fear of knowing that she had such control of someone such as she had with Rue-san. She did enjoy his devotion and kindness that he had showered her with in the short months that he had shown since they had met but at the same time it frightened her. Sometimes she wondered how would Rue go just for her? Was there any bound to his devotion and if so did she want to see how far that devotion would stretch? "More than likely it is best for me not to find out his limits nor push him to them." Kari inwardly mused as they stepped off of the gazebo and out into the park.  
  
She smiled brightly as she wove her tiny and slender fingers through Rue's for now she decided to brush those thoughts aside, it was a beautiful spring afternoon and she for one didn't plan on wasting it indoors unlike other members of humanity chose to do. The park surrounding them was a literal jungle with its overgrown grass that reached their knees; flowers that had once been carefully plotted for landscape had spread to randomly pop out among the grass. The playground equipment had long since rusted after more than three years of disrepair and neglect only the swing set remaining in somewhat stable condition as well as the pathway that they walked across. With a contented sigh Kari leaned in closer to her companion, resting her head against his arm, "His skin feels so warm," she thought absently. True she did know that Rue was a Personcom, one would have to have been blind or very stupid not to notice that, but for some reason she felt that there was something.different about Rue.  
  
Something mysterious and untouchable, he had a soul.  
  
Kari didn't know how she came about this knowledge or even how she knew his name all she knew was that he was different, he was neither a human, nor a machine, but Rue, pure and simply Rue. That is why she came back, day after day, to uncover more about the mystery that had for one reason or another had dedicated itself to her. Kari gently shook her head, this motion caught Rue's attention.  
  
"Something wrong?" he asked.  
  
"Hmm, oh no, nothing's wrong. I was just thinking." Kari replied.  
  
"About what?" Rue asked.  
  
His question caused a smile to cross Kari's face, she found his endless questions endearing and charming; almost like a curious child whom longed to know as much as his elder did.  
  
"About you," she said simply.  
  
There was a short pause before yet another question, "Why?"  
  
Kari shrugged her shoulders, "Because you make me wonder."  
  
Before Rue could question again Kari elaborated. "Every time I see you I wonder, where did 'we" go wrong."  
  
"Pardon?" Rue started but Kari quietly silenced him.  
  
"I wonder why we, humans, try so hard to create life, then take it one step further by transforming them into gods and goddesses in our own images. We constructed you and your "race" to be faster, stronger, smarter, and more efficient, than ourselves and yet we submit you to serve us and adore us like pets. It makes me sick knowing that we can use you and your kind when you can think, can feel, and have a soul."  
  
Kari felt her body shake with a mix of unknown rage and fear as she continued. "I HATE what we are doing to you! You can be so much better, you can be more but.because you were created to serve you can't do more than that can you?"  
  
A long silence followed Kari's rant, Rue not knowing what to say to comfort her reached his hand to creases her face but the girl cringed from his touch, leaving Rue's hand to hang briefly in the air before he retracted, eyes speaking of confusion.  
  
"Why?" Kari whispered hoarsely as she slowly lifted her hands to touch Rue's face, which he in turn moved into her touch like a tame house cat, his ever-alert eyes never breaking away from her gaze.  
  
"Why do I care about you so much for you when I know that you're not real?" Kari finished, tears stinging her eyes and her tone croaked with emotion.  
  
A heavy pause fell between them, stretching the distance of a few inches between them into miles. Rue never felt so confused, he had thought that this girl, this Kari, was different from other humans, that she had seen him as more than metal and programming; but apparently she was just like everyone else.  
  
At this realization he abruptly pulled away from her poison touch, knowing that if he stayed in her hands for a second longer he would forget the surging tides of anger and bitter betrayal. Turning to walk away, he had resolved to walk away, no run away, and leave the pathetic lying human child alone with her pettiness. But the frail grasp on his arm wouldn't let him go.  
  
"Please Rue, I am sorry. I didn't mean for it to come out like that, Please stay with me." Kari begged.  
  
"No!" Rue growled as he carelessly shook her hand away as easily if he were swatting away a butterfly.  
  
However just as soon as her hand was free, the girl wrapped her arms around Rue's waist trying in vain to hold him in place. It was all to easy for Rue to just break away from her tight embrace in the process severely breaking both of her arms and tearing her shoulders, they both knew that he was capable of such an act, that he was angry enough to do it, and had every right to; and yet he stayed.  
  
"Please," Kari whispered, her voice so soft that it was almost inaudible, "Please don't leave me. You're all I have left."  
  
'I am all she has left?" Rue pondered. 'She needs me.' But even as those words entered his head, he knew that they were lies, surely one so young had a family, a home, friends; whereas it was he who was truly alone for even though he was captivated by the child that now clung to him, he was nothing but a machine. He was a toy that she was gradually becoming tired of.  
  
"Stop lying to me, we both know that you couldn't care less about me!" Rue growled between clenched teeth, his temper starting to boil over. Then he felt something wet hit against his shirt even though it wasn't raining.  
  
'She's crying. You made her cry you big stupid brute.'  
  
He gave a heavy sigh, looking up to the heavens as if asking, "why me?" before he tried to console the girl. Gently he pried her arms from his waist, bending down to his knees so that he would be at eye level with her, Rue brought his hands up to cradle her face in his palms.  
  
He let out a small gasp as he found himself once again captured by her amber gaze, which was almost sparkling in the setting sunlight with teardrops. Her dark lashes fluttering to wipe away the remaining dew of sorrow that clung to them; her shoulders trembling with suppressed sobs, everything about her speaking of her vulnerability in volumes. She looked so small and helpless, her entire being crying out to him for protection and affection; even though she already had both in abundance. And who was he to deny a child goddess. Rue knew from that moment on that he was trapped and for once he didn't mind being imprisoned.  
  
With a soft sob, Kari threw her arms around his neck, drawing them so close together that he could hear and almost feel her rapid heartbeat. Laying her head in the crock of his right shoulder Kari whispered fervently near his oddly shaped ear; "Stay with me Rue, please stay with me. I need you."  
  
"No, you don't." Rue started to weakly protest until two soft lips pressing themselves against his mouth silenced him. This was something.different to say the least. No one had ever "kissed" him before. Everyone kissed his sister though, it was expected because she was female and she was beautiful, because she was kind, obedient. Because she was perfect and loved while he was none of those things. This girl though didn't care what he wasn't. She was kissing him because she wished him to stay; she was giving him a reason to trust her, a reason to hope, a reason to believe in her promises.  
  
She was offering something that she knew he would love, something he had always wanted. On the other hand Kari was nothing if not an Indian giver in Rue's mind, so to him she was giving him this kiss with only half her heart. She wanted him to continue being entrapped and entranced by her.  
  
'You can't let this go on push her away! She's lying to you! Just push her back and run before it's too late!' logic screamed at him.  
  
For a moment Rue wasn't sure what to do, during this moment Kari withdrew from him, her soft lips parting from him. Her amber eyes flickering between the sadness and anger of rejection, finally she gave up to the truth. Reluctantly she backed away from Rue, blinking back yet another wave of tears; knowing that she had lost him. "So much for speaking my mind. And here I thought that you might be the only one who might be able to understand me." Kari said bitterly as she started to walk away. Just as she brushed passed him Rue snapped out of his inner turmoil to see her walking away.  
  
His eyes widen as he realized that if she left now she wouldn't ever be coming back, this would be the last time he would ever see her amber eyes, to hear her soft voice and bright laughter, the last time he would listen to her honey coated lies. A part of him wanted to say 'good riddance" while another and stronger pull was screaming at him to run to her, to kiss her back and mutter apologies, to beg her to stay or at least promise to come back. But he opted for the third and more timid voice; this voice had instructed him to just stand his ground and watch her leave. He achieved this action with great difficulty but the worse came when she paused at the entrance of the park then turned to look back at him. Even from the fair distance between them he could pick up ever single detail of her face right down to the last raven black eyelash; she was still crying, the tears cutting pink marks into her face. "What are you waiting for?" he whispered into the breeze, knowing that she would not hear him.  
  
She blinked her eyes, almost as if she had heard him and was replying with, "You, I am waiting for you." Then she lowered her head, her shoulders sagging from a dejected sigh before she removed herself from the park. As he continued staring at the same spot that had once held the young woman Rue felt a shutter ripple through his body.  
  
"We will met again Kari, for better or worse, we shall met again." 


End file.
